New Delhi, Feb 9 (IANS): The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi on Wednesday announced to discontinue the routine Covid-19 testing prior to inpatient hospitalisation and surgeries.

The decision has been taken in accordance with the current Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines, AIIMS said in a statement.

"In accordance with current ICMR's national guidelines, it has been decided to discontinue with routine Covid-19 testing prior to inpatient hospitalisations (regular as well as day care) and also prior to any minor or major surgical/interventional/ non-interventional procedures and imaging in clinically asymptomatic patients, including OPD/emergency patients as well as those patients who were earlier Covid-19 positive and have since recovered and transferred to the parent department's inpatient ward for continued treatment," reads the notification from AIIMS administration.

"This is no longer required for any such routine Covid-19 testing prior to any inpatient hospitalisation and any invasive or non-invasive procedure or imaging on any patient," it reads.

The decision has been taken as the current surge of Covid-19 cases in the country is showing a sustained declining trends from last one week. However, the country on Wednesday reported a marginal rise in daily Covid cases at 71,365. In the last 24 hrs, total 1,217 deaths have also been reported, taking the death toll to 5,05,279, said the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday morning.